HARDY - "TRUCK BED"

[recordyear]

Artist: HARDY
Single: TRUCK BED
Album: the mockingbird & THE CROW
Label: Big Loud Records
Impact Date: May 15th, 2023
Writers: Michael Hardy/HARDY, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Hunter Phelps

Second country radio single from the album.

[Dustin J.]

Hardy has a lot of good music out there (both written and recorded) ... and they release THIS???

(*sigh*)

[recordyear]

May 3, 2023 10:18:14 GMT -5 Dustin J. said:

Hardy has a lot of good music out there (both written and recorded) ... and they release THIS???

(*sigh*)

3rd most popular song after the previous country radio single and a Morgan Wallen feature from the album on Spotify, tbf. His listeners like this .

[phil1996]

This is irresistible and will undoubtedly be a smash for him.

[Deleted]

Between the god awful auto tune of his voice and the lyrics it’s hard to imagine this is the same guy who just gave us a masterpiece in “Wait in the truck”.

[zdm1998]

Am I the only one who thinks this is pushing it with country radio? This doesn’t feel that country at all.

Would’ve rather seen “here lies country music” be a single.

[dm2081]

This is a high risk high reward single. All the indicators point to this streaming/selling well. Could very well end up being a “Kick in the Sticks” or “Vacation” situation, but for HARDY there could be a massive potential payout, especially if it gets a dual release to rock radio. I don’t think it’s that radically different than some other songs currently charting, but sonically the difference is noticeable.

[CoJoFan]

I was hoping for the Morgan Wallen feature as the next single.

[jhomes87]

May 3, 2023 12:54:50 GMT -5 CoJoFan said:

I was hoping for the Morgan Wallen feature as the next single.

Not likely to happen since Morgan has 2 singles in the top 10 right now plus “You Proof” and “Thought You Should Know” and other previous singles still getting loads of airplay. I don’t think his label would want him on yet another single at radio because that just might be too much.

That’s my take anyway. Clearly country radio and country music fans have an insatiable appetite for Morgan Wallen right now, but I still think there’s such a thing as “too many singles from one artist out at the same time.”

Even though a MW feature would likely do very well simply due to his inclusion, I also think the label probably wants to keep establishing HARDY as a solo artist without attaching MW to a radio single release. Because if the song hits, is it because of Morgan being on it, or HARDY?

[collinkottke]

This is a big swing and I respect it. It is one of my favorites off the album. It'll be fascinating to see how this goes.

[.indulgecountry]

This song is total hot garbage. A very likely contender for my last-place ranking when we get around to the inevitable 2023 rankdown at the end of the year. That said, this one was connecting and was (unfortunately) the logical choice. I'll just hope that it ends up proving too polarizing in the callout department and stalls out despite being a high-impact hit, because this song is straight up ass.

[recordyear]

Second most added this week with 53 adds and 55 total historic adds.

[bdrm87]

I’m very curious to see how this one does. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being a big hit or a big flop. I don’t think it’s a great song, but I love that Hardy is releasing singles that enable him to stand out from the sea of generic faceless males that normally occupy the radio when Morgan Wallen or Luke Combs aren’t on.

[recordyear]

Debut at #18 on Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.

[recordyear]

Debut at #55 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart.

[recordyear]

Debut at #89 on Hot 100 this week.

[.indulgecountry]

Music video is out:

[krissirge]

Yeah, this song slaps. Maybe a rock radio push too at some point!

[countryfan43]

I was just listening to Wgar and this came on but during the last chorus they edited in the first or second chorus and played it twice to make it not sound like a rock song. I’m curious if anyone else has heard this because I don’t believe K102 plays this weird version.

[jab820]

I really like this song. The most recent album is not quite my taste but I've loved every single HARDY has put out thus far (minus Rednecker which was garbage) and the streak only continues.

[zdm1998]

This song grew on me, but it doesn't belong on country radio at all. If country radio completely shut out "The Other Girl" by Kelsea Ballerini, then they should do the same with this, as this is more boundary pushing than that one.

[raylatch98]

Aug 11, 2023 8:04:39 GMT -5 zdm1998 said:

This song grew on me, but it doesn't belong on country radio at all. If country radio completely shut out "The Other Girl" by Kelsea Ballerini, then they should do the same with this, as this is more boundary pushing than that one.

Eh, there's always been boundary pushing songs in country music and while this does push it somewhat I actually think it sounds fine on country radio, I know that's probably an unpopular opinion but this song fits in okay whenever I hear it. 

[dm2081]

This is a genre-less song, it incorporates elements from country, rock, electronic and even hip hop. Jelly Roll is pretty much doing the same thing right now with “I Need A Favor”, though that one is certainly more accessible to country listeners in my opinion. It’s really just the way things are heading, artists coming out now have many more influences to draw from. I hope this song can start moving up the chart quicker but I’m not optimistic. Based on the sales/streaming this should already be doing much better than it is.

[raylatch98]

This song is a grower imo and it doesn't look like country radio is going to stall this out given the bullet is over 600 spins as of today, so I imagine in the new year this will continue to do very well.

I also have heard a radio edit with this song where the last chorus has the same tempo as the first two, instead of it going full rock and roll. I don't know if anyone else has heard it, but it does make the song a lot more radio friendly imo. 

[austin]

I have no interest in HARDY and was maybe the only one to hate "wait in the truck" but I heard this on the radio for the first time, and I came in here and am shocked with all of these comments about how it doesnt belong on Country radio? It sounds right at home on the Country radio station and the hook "woke up on the wrong side of the truck bed" is undeniably country. Also, I somehow like this!!

[mccloud]

May 3, 2023 10:33:24 GMT -5 phil1996 said:

This is irresistible and will undoubtedly be a smash for him.

[mccloud]

#36 on Billboard Hot 100, #10 Hot Country, #13 Country Airplay

[.indulgecountry]

He dropped a new song and it's possibly one of the worst things I've heard in the history of music.

[recordyear]

Jan 13, 2024 11:40:27 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

He dropped a new song and it's possibly one of the worst things I've heard in the history of music.

I have so many problems with that song but I'll leave the most important one: He should have done what the napkin says.

[countryfan43]

I’m not going to listen to it because of how explicit it is so I’ll agree it’s pretty bad. I enjoy “Truck Bed” however even though most stations play the radio edit instead of the rock version which I find to be better but much more polarizing on radio.